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A new study shows a correlation between happiness and the enjoyment of music

Why? There could be many reasons, expert says

(CNN)A new study out of Australia confirms what we probably already knew: People who dance and go to concerts regularly are pretty happy. While it may seem obvious, comparing happiness and the enjoyment of music can actually tell us a lot about how music affects us psychologically.

Sure enough, they found that people who actively engaged with music through dancing and attending events like concerts and musicals reported a higher level of subjective wellbeing (a more scientific way of saying "happiness").

Different modes of music, different results

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The study used data from the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, an annual survey that attempts to measure the happiness of Australian citizens. In 2014, the Index paid special attention to music consumption habits through six different activities: Listening to music, singing, playing an instrument, dancing, composing music, and attending music-oriented events.

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Deakin University's Melissa Weinberg, who co-authored the study, told CNN there were specific activities that seemed to correlate with higher happiness levels.

"We found there were differences in those who danced or attended music events," she said.

Why would dancing and concert-going correlate more with our wellbeing than, say, simply listening to Spotify? Weinberg says there's no hard and fast answer, but psychology seems to suggest it's about emotional and social connections.

"It's that active engagement that seems to be critical," she says. "People who intentionally interact with music, they're using an outlet to express their emotions."

"Music seems to be a way that can facilitate social connections," Weinberg says. "And we know social relationships are absolutely critical to subjective wellbeing. Anything that has people coming together through mutual interest or commonality will contribute to this, including music."

Sorry, concerts don't necessarily make you happier

Photos:OMG, boy bands

Photos:OMG, boy bands

Backstreet Boys – In 1996, the Backstreet Boys released their debut album, "Backstreet's Back." "Millennium," "Black & Blue," "Never Gone," "Unbreakable" and "This Is Us" followed. After parting with the group years ago, Kevin Richardson (second from left) rejoined A.J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter and Brian Littrell. In March, they kicked off a limited Vegas residency as well as a new album and tour. Here are some other boy bands to scream over.

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One Direction – As One Direction, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Harry Styles are heartthrobs -- not unlike the Rolling Stones were once upon a time, Mick Jagger told CNN. Malik announced in 2015 that he'd be leaving the group and the remaining members went on hiatus the following year to fans' dismay.

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*NSYNC – *NSYNC members Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Joey Fatone struck gold in the United States with "I Want You Back" in 1998. Before they broke up in 2002, the group established a mega fan base with songs like "No Strings Attached" and "Bye, Bye, Bye." Although they're not together anymore, *NSYNC is as popular as ever; you should've heard the shrieking their reunion at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards caused.

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5 Seconds of Summer – Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin met in the Western Sydney suburbs and played their first gig as 5 Seconds of Summer at a Sydney hotel in 2011. They grew their fan base by posting videos on YouTube, and soon enough, they were opening for One Direction. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2014 and debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard chart.

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Westlife – Though they never made it big in the U.S., boy band Westlife was a huge hit in their native Ireland. They'd sold more than 50 million copies of their albums worldwide by the time they disbanded in 2012.

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Boyzone – Sometimes considered the original Irish boy band, Boyzone was founded in 1993 and won many BRIT and Europe Music Awards.

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New Kids on the Block – Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Jonathan Knight of New Kids on the Block perform live in 2008. The group, which rose to superstardom in the late '80s and early '90s, reunited for 2008's "The Block" and 2011's "NKOTBSB" with the Backstreet Boys. The Kids released their box set "10" in 2013.

98 Degrees – 98 Degrees perform in 1999, made up of brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre and Jeff Timmons. The group released three albums, in addition to one Christmas album, between 1997 and 2000. Their latest album, "2.0," arrived in 2013.

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Hanson – Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson of Hanson perform in 2001. The brothers became superstars with their 1997 album "Middle of Nowhere" thanks to a little earworm called "MMMBop."

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The Wanted – The Wanted released their self-titled debut album in 2010, and by 2012 their song "Glad You Came" was inescapable. Jay McGuiness, Nathan Sykes, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran and Tom Parker, here after receiving a 2013 People's Choice award, are repped by Justin Bieber's manager Scooter Braun, so they know a thing or two about heartthrobbing. The group has appeared on TV in the E! reality show "The Wanted Life," and their album "Word of Mouth" was released in September 2013.

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Menudo – Menudo performs in 2008. Originally formed in the '70s, they helped launch Ricky Martin's career. The boy band has had many members over the years.

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2gether – The made-for-TV boy band 2gether debuted on MTV in 2000. Shown here at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards, the guys attracted attention with songs like "U + Me = Us (Calculus)" and "Say It (Don't Spray It)." "2ge+her: The Series" followed the original TV movie, but ended in 2001 when member Michael Cuccione died of cancer. In November 2011, Alex Solowitz, Evan Farmer, Noah Bastian and Kevin Farley said they were looking to reunite the band.

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The Boys – The Boys released three albums between 1988 and 1992. "Dial My Heart" was the debut single from brothers Khiry, Hakim, Tajh and Bilal Abdulsamad.

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O-Town – Erik-Michael Estrada, Jacob Underwood, Trevor Penick, Dan Miller and Ashley Parker Angel of the group O-Town perform in 2002. The group, which came to be thanks to the first season of MTV's "Making the Band," is perhaps best known for the single "Liquid Dreams" in 2000.

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LFO – Lyte Funky Ones, also known as LFO, released their first album in 1999. Made up of Rich Cronin, Devin Lima and Brad Fischetti, the boy band referenced New Kids on the Block and gave a shout out to girls who wear Abercrombie & Fitch on their single "Summer Girls."

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The Monkees – Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz and Michael Nesmith of The Monkees, the band created for the 1960s TV series of the same name, won the hearts of fans with hits like "I'm a Believer," "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "Daydream Believer."

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Is this yet another reason to justify buying tickets to Coachella next year? Not exactly. First of all, participants weren't asked about their preferred forms of music entertainment, so it probably wasn't all about the sweaty bacchanalia of outdoor festivals and EDM shows.

The average age of survey participants was 56, so more subdued forms of music entertainment like classical concerts, blues shows or musical theater were probably represented.

Weinberg says it's also important to remember that just because there's a relationship doesn't mean there's causation: Dancing at a rock show doesn't necessarily make you a happier person.

"It's just as plausible that the people who are happier have a reason to dance, or the people who have more resources go to concerts," she says. "I think [the study] is more reflective of the way we think about music."

Consider this, for instance: Listening to music alone doesn't seem to have the same happiness correlation, yet that is how most people experience music on a daily basis.

"I think it's interesting that, in today's day and age everybody's sort of walking around with headphones in their ears and not engaging with others," Weinberg says. "Yet there's a clear difference between listening to music in isolation, versus listening to music with others or engaging with music."